Entries in Quarterback
(57)

Golson, who led the Fighting Irish to the 2012 BCS title game, released a statement explaining his reason for leaving South Bend:

"After much thought, prayer and discussion with my family, I have decided that it is in my best interest to graduate from Notre Dame and transfer to another school effectively immediately.

"I would like to thank everyone at Notre Dame for the opportunity to compete at the highest level of college football, but most importantly to obtain my degree from one of the finest universities in the country. To all the Fighting Irish fans, I want to thank you for your support over the past four years and let you know I truly love Notre Dame. To my former teammates, who I will miss tremendously, I wish much success in the future and will be your biggest fan from afar."

"I will have no future comment at this time and ask that you respect my time as I figure out this live changing moment. God has a plan for each of us and I ask for your prayers as I move forward in this new journey in my life!"

Golson graduated this semester so he will be able to transfer without sitting out a season.

The 6-foot, 200-pound senior played two seasons for the Irish throwing for 5,850 yards, 41 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions. He also ran for 518 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Golson missed the entire 2013 season after being suspended for "poor academic judgement."

According to ESPN, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Texas, and LSU all may be interested in Golson.

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images(TAMPA, Fla.) -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed quarterback Jameis Winston, the first pick of the 2015 NFL Draft, on Friday.

According to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, the 6-foot-4, 230-pound former Heisman Trophy winner received a four-year deal worth $25.35 million, including a $16.69 million signing bonus.

The contract is completely guaranteed under the league's collective bargaining agreement.

"It's something we wanted to do," Bucs general manager Jason Licht said about signing Winston. "And it was something where they had no reluctancy, either. It was fairly smooth. We wanted Jameis to start off on the right foot. There's no reason to punish Jameis. He's going to be treated contractually in terms of money just like any other first overall pick."

Winston will wear No. 3 for the Bucs.

"I'm glad we got the contract stuff out of the way," Winston said. "I'm just looking forward to getting with the team. We've got some great teammates and I'm looking forward to working with the coaching staff. Just playing some football. This whole thing has been long for me. But football is what I'm here for and I can't wait."

Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images(CHICAGO) -- There were no curve balls to start the 2015 NFL Draft. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers used the first overall pick on former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, while the Tennessee Titans stayed put and selected former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota with the second pick.

It's long been thought that Winston would be the first pick of the draft, but off-field character concerns left some doubt that the former Heisman Trophy winner would end up in Florida.

"When we were doing the exhaustive process that we went through, not only were we comfortable with him and his character, we were confident with his character," Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said. "We think that his character that he brings to the locker room and the building is a strength. That's one of the things that makes him a great player."

Meanwhile, there was much speculation that the Titans would trade out of the No. 2 spot with many teams interested in using that pick on Mariota, but in the end this year's Heisman Trophy winner was too difficult to pass up.

"It was going to be difficult to convince us to back out," Titans general manager Ruston Webster said.

Mariota becomes the first Oregon quarterback to be selected in the first round since Joey Harrington in 2002.

As for signing Luck to a new deal, Colts owner Jim Irsay said at the NFL owner's meetings last month that likely won't happen until after the 2015 season.

“Andrew still has two years left, and whatever our talks are between Andrew and his people will remain confidential," Irsay said. "It's not like we don't have conversations about a possibility, so to speak, of something. But I really think most likely the scenario is going to be going into the offseason next year is when that second contract will come up. That's the vision I have right now."

Palmer tore his ACL in Week 10 and is almost four months removed from surgery. He told reporters Thursday that the injury blues have faded.

“I started being able to sweat and work out again and really feel like I was training for football as opposed to just doing leg extensions and calf raises and things that feel monotonous or silly at the time,” Palmer said. “The last month or so has been fun again.”

Palmer said he throws five days a week and has been running for two or three weeks. The 35-year-old says he's close to being able to participate in a normal workout, and he will definitely be ready for training camp.

"I'm going to be ready to rock 'n' roll by the season," Palmer said. "Definitely going to be ready by that, definitely going to be ready for camp. And shooting to be getting reps in our mandatory (minicamp) and hopefully some of our OTA practices."

Before being injured last season, Palmer started six games, throwing for 1,626 yards, 11 touchdowns, and three interceptions.

The Buccaneers, who hold the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, had team officials meet with the youngster who many believe the Bucs will take with that top pick.

"Being able to play three years in Florida, I would love to stay here in this great state," Winston told the Bucs' website. "I've just got to take advantage of this blessing. It's not really important to me to be the first pick, but it is important to me to be picked. I believe that I have been blessed during my years at Florida State to win a national championship and just be a winning quarterback. And I believe this place -- I would love to be here."

The 6-foot-4, 230 pound Winston played two seasons for Florida State, winning a national championship and Heisman Trophy along the way. He finished his time in Tallahassee completing 66 percent of his passes for 7,964 yards, 65 touchdowns, and 28 interceptions.

Jim Rogash/Getty Images(NEW YORK)-- New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has restructured his contract in order to open up $24 million in cash to spend this offseason, according to ESPN.

ESPN also reports Brady changed the $24 million in "skill" guarantee to only "injury." This means Brady would get the guaranteed money only if injured.

This change means that Brady could now be released at any time for performance issues, and he wouldn't be owed any money.

According to ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss, Brady actually will get a $1 million annual raise in the three years left on his deal. He will now receive a base salary of $8 million in 2015, $9 million in 2016, and $10 million in 2017.

The Patriots (12-4) are the No.1 seed in the AFC Playoffs this season.

iStockphoto(NEW YORK) -- West Virginia senior quarterback Clint Trickett is quitting football after suffering five concussions over the past 14 months.

Trickett suffered a concussion Nov. 20 against Kansas State but was still going to try and play in the team's bowl game against Texas A&M. After attempting to pass the concussion protocol test multiple times, and failing, Trickett was officially ruled out of the bowl game.

"It was tough to hear it," Trickett said about the results of the tests, which were conducted by UPMC, which invented the impact concussion test. "The more and more I think about it, I'm like, well, what I'm getting into I probably need to have a couple brain cells left, so it is for the best."

That's for sure. Trickett wants to get into coaching football, something his father Rick has been doing for his entire career. Rick is currently the offensive line coach at Florida State.

"(It's) the family business, which is something I've been excited for, and I really am ready to move on," Clint said.

Trickett led West Virginia to a 7-5 record and a berth into the AutoZone Liberty Bowl this season. He also completed 67.1% of his passes for 3,285 yards, 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Jason O. Watson/Getty Images(KANSAS CITY, Mo.) -- Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith has a lacerated spleen that will keep him out of Sunday's game against the San Diego Chargers.

It's tough news for a Chiefs team that earns a playoff berth with a win and a Ravens loss coupled with a Texans loss or tie on Sunday.

Apparently Smith suffered the injury in the third quarter of the team's game against Pittsburgh when he took a shot to his abdomen.

"Generally (lacerated spleens) take six weeks (to heal) but everybody is different,'' Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder said. "He's a young, healthy guy that's got a high metabolism. If we're playing three, four weeks from now, we'll rescan him and see where he's at."

With Smith out, Chase Daniel becomes the starter. This will only be Daniel's second start in five NFL seasons.

While Manning is 38 years old and has had four neck surgeries, he told reporters Wednesday that he's not ready to hang up his cleats.

"I have not thought about those circumstances at all," Manning said. "I certainly plan on being back if the Broncos would have me, but at this point I'm kind of thinking about Oakland. I know this is the time where conversations about what head coaches are going to return and I guess for some reason I get to fall into that category because I'm closer to the same age as some of the coaches."

Manning, a five-time NFL MVP, has led Denver to an 11-4 record this season. If they win Sunday versus the Raiders (3-12), the Broncos will clinch the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs.